Lacey Food Bank to 'Keep the Promise of Christmas'

While organizing clothing and toys at Community Hall, a local resident handed Laura Caroccia dozens of gift cards — just one example of how the Lacey Food Bank will be able to “keep the promise of Christmas” this year.

On Tuesday volunteers from throughout the town came together to organize gifts for Lacey Food Bank families.

“There are so many people from so many places. People from all walks of life are here,” said Caroccia, co-chairman of the Lacey Food Bank.

Distribution will take place Wednesday morning as parents line up in Community Hall to receive vouchers for their children. The parents will then proceed to pick gifts specifically to their child's liking from hundreds of items that were donated to give on Christmas day.

“It’s a wonderful outpouring of community spirit,” Caroccia said.

The food bank currently supports nearly 300 kids throughout Lacey Township, a number that has grown significantly since Hurricane Sandy struck the area, Caroccia said. Prior to Sandy, the food bank served approximately 224 children. That number jumped to 274 in November.

The food bank had planned to devote 2012 to hometown heroes, she said.

“That’s not just a saying. We have a community of hometown heroes,” she said.

Volunteers from the schools, local businesses and community organizations devoted their time to coordinate this Christmas distribution, she said.

“I do it every Christmas to help with the kids,” Lynn Talarico of the high school’s Parent-Teacher-Student Association said. “I do it to give back.”

The PTSA collects for the food bank all year long, she said.

“We rather give than receive,” she said.

Peggy Juliano, also a member of the PTSA, described most of the volunteers as mothers. Juliano is also a regular volunteer at the food bank as well as the Municipal Alliance.

“We have a lot of hard workers,” she said. “It’s just about giving back. It makes me feel good. It’s also about being a role model.”